


i would tell you (so there's no doubt)

by ccj



Series: come give your love to me [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Coming Out, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, surprise visit, u see where this is going!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-02-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22571140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ccj/pseuds/ccj
Summary: This is it. Will Byers has been trapped in the Upside Down, he’s been literally possessed by a monster, and this is how he dies. At least death by his three best friends walking in on him making out with his secret boyfriend will be quite the obituary headline.
Relationships: Jonathan Byers & Will Byers, Will Byers & Dustin Henderson & Lucas Sinclair & Mike Wheeler, Will Byers & Mike Wheeler, Will Byers & The Party, Will Byers/Original Male Character(s)
Series: come give your love to me [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2089515
Comments: 11
Kudos: 167





	i would tell you (so there's no doubt)

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place in some nebulous post season 3! I wrote it directly after watching it and am finally posting it! TW for some (very, very) mild homophobia...the party is more supportive than may be time period typical but who cares! It's my fic and I make the rules! 
> 
> Title after Janet Jackson's Come Give Your Love to Me, the song I imagine is playing at the beginning!

Will Byers is pretty sure he could kiss Charlie Burns forever. His lips are soft and something by Janet Jackson is playing on the record player, drowning out any notion of the world existing beyond this kiss. Charlie’s into mainstream poppy shit and Jonathan’s forgiven the constant blaring of it through the house on account of him being Will’s first love (he’s sworn that the second won’t be as lucky).

“You okay?” Charlie pulls back, just a bit, and Will nods eagerly. “Okay,” he smiles, “You just froze for a second there.”

“Oh I was just...thinking…” Will smiles back bashfully and Charlie lets out a soft hmm? “I was thinking about kissing you.”

“Oh,” Charlie laughs and Will frowns, eyes cast to the mattress, until Charlie picks up his hand, locking it into his own. “No, sorry, it’s just...then kiss me, weirdo. I’m yours til...what time’s your mom back with El tomorrow?”

“Some time in the evening, I think.”

“Perfect. Then I’m yours til your lips get raw or you need a break for water.”

Will laughs and Charlie laughs back and then they’re kissing again and Will has just managed to turn down the stupid thoughts in his head. This is, of course, when Mike’s voice comes through on his walkie talkie, positioned on the bedside table behind Charlie.

“Will?” He almost doesn’t hear him. Almost. “Will, are you there? Will, do you copy? Will?”

Charlie pulls back, “Should you-”

“No, it’s fine.”

“It’s okay if it’s not. I mean, it’s Mike.”

Will smiles at the fact that Charlie recognizes his best friend’s voice from just a handful of words but quickly shakes it off. “It’s fine. He’s either calling so he, Dustin, and Lucas can all shout to me simultaneously or he’s antsy because El didn’t pick up.”

“Will,” Mike’s voice comes again, “This is a code orange.”

“What the hell does orange mean?”

Will hesitates for a moment but shakes it off. _Orange, not red. Nothing, it’s nothing._ “It means nothing.” He takes Charlie’s other hand in his so they’re both clasped.

“Are you sure? It’s gotta mean something.”

“Charlie,” Will whines, “This is the only night we’ve had without my mom interrupting in...maybe ever. I’ll call him back first thing tomorrow.”

Charlie pauses for a moment, considering before he nods. “Alright. It’s your call Byers,” he says and that’s all it takes. Charlie is kissing him again and all is right in the world and now, now they have time for forever.

Until the door bursts open. “Jonathan!” Will hisses, drawing back, “I told you- oh.” He’s met with the faces of Lucas, Dustin, and Mike, staring at him wide eyed. “Uh…what are you guys doing here?!”

Charlie looks at him, confused for a moment, before whipping around. “Ah.” He releases Will’s hands, smoothing one of his own through his hair. He considers the three of them, visibly startled and clutching onto a “SURPRISE!” sign. “Code orange...because it’s orange. I get it.” The three boys stare at him, eyes still wide. “The sign? It’s orange? You said code orange on the...” Charlie gestures to the walkie dramatically and it clatters to the carpet. He jumps up, scrambling to place it back on the table, now standing across from the three of them. “You said code orange on the walkie and there’s just code red and no other codes so…”

This is it. Will Byers has been trapped in the Upside Down, he’s been literally possessed by a monster, and this is how he dies. At least death by his three best friends walking in on him making out with his secret boyfriend will be quite the obituary headline.

“Right!” Dustin pipes up and Will finally breathes, just a little. A small part of him, or really a big part of him, expected the trio to head out the door without another word after the sight. “That was my idea. Like a prank!”

“Yeah. Haha. Funny.” Charlie gives a weak smile. “See Will, I told you the code meant something.”

“Oh my god,” Will groans into his hands.

Silence falls again and Mike blurts out, “Where’s Eleven?”

“Out of town,” Will pipes up at the same time that Charlie turns his head and asks, “Eleven?”

“Uh El,” Will says, finally standing up beside him, “Eleven, El.”

“Oh. I assumed it was short for Eleanor or something.”

“Yeah.” Will shoots a glare towards his friends. “Wouldn’t that have made more sense?”

“It’s a family name!” Lucas calls out at the same time that Dustin yelps, “It’s a nickname!” and Mike shouts, “Out of town?”

Charlie looks at Will with a raised eyebrow but Will ignores it, frowning at Mike. “Jonathan met someone at work who runs a uh…”

“Bed and breakfast,” Charlie supplies and the boys all whip their heads towards him.

“Yup. So they’re there for the night. It’s a girls weekend thing,” Will drops his voice to a whispered hiss as if Charlie won’t hear it, “You could have called instead of just...showing up, you know.”

“I told you guys a spontaneous surprise trip wasn’t a good move. Max’s mom not letting her come was a bad sign to begin with!” Lucas mumbles.

“The bus tickets were cheap!” Dustin cries back, “Dirt. Cheap!”

Mike hasn’t broken eye contact with Will. It’s starting to feel a bit like a staring contest. “It’s cool. Who needs El?”

“Uh aren’t you literally dating her?” All eyes turn back to Charlie. Will coughs the world’s loudest, most unconvincing cough.

“Yes I literally am.” Mike turns his stare towards Charlie for a moment before flitting it back to Will. “I just mean it’ll be like old times, you know? No Max, No El. Just the four of us.” His gaze softens. “Same as it always was. Yeah?”

“I...yeah?” Will doesn’t mean it to come out like a question but it does because really, it is one.

Charlie shoves his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Well I’m gonna head out then.”

“No!” Mike pipes up, “Uh, you don’t have to, I mean! We could all hang out!”

“Nah. Have your old times, really. It’s cool, I get it! You’re not around for the new ones. I should...” Charlie gestures vaguely towards the window that he jumps out of at times when he’s over until hours Will’s mother wouldn’t approve of.

“He should look out the window?” Dustin whispers, earning a quick shove from Lucas.

Charlie makes his way across the room, and Will watches, frozen, until Charlie is pushing onto the windowsill, one leg outside, and Will is yelping his name. Charlie turns. “Uh...your record?” He gestures with his head towards the Janet Jackson still playing.

Charlie laughs. “I’ll just get it later weirdo. Monday after school?” Will nods and Charlie nods back before turning to face Will’s friends. “Dustin. Lucas. Mike.” He gives them each an individual nod. “Cool to meet you guys.”

“So he knows our codes _and_ our names?” Dustin whispers, this time earning both a shove from Lucas and a “We have one code!” from Mike.

“Byers.” Charlie flashes him a smile, that stupid, perpetually dizzying smile of his, and jumps down onto the grass, heading towards Will’s driveway. Will watches him go and then walks over to the record player, slipping the record into its case carefully and sliding it into the collection he inherited from Jonathan.

“So…” Will turns back around slowly, facing his friends. “Uh, what's up?”

Mike releases his corner of the poster and takes a few steps forward. “I don’t know,” he says with a shrug, “just taking it all in.” He smirks and Will flinches before he continues, in a high pitched voice, “‘ _What’s the purpose of swapping spit Mike_ ’ my ass!”

“I did not say that!” Will squeals, “And I don’t sound like that.”

“You said something like that.”

“He’s right.” Lucas releases his end of the poster, joining Mike. “Oh Lucas, why for art thou kissing Max? Can we play Dungeons & Dragons now?!” Lucas flings a dramatic hand over his eyes.

“Oh shut up.” Will rolls his eyes, flopping back onto his bed. It doesn’t take long for Mike and Lucas to follow suit, Dustin grumbling about having to sit on the floor, dropping the poster beside him. “That was different! You guys abandoned me!”

“Well you didn’t answer the walkie.” Dustin shakes his own for dramatic effect.

“Yeah well!” Will scrambles for a defense and comes up short. “Okay. True.”

The four boys erupt into laughter, stupid laughter, over the top laughter, when Mike swings an arm around Will’s shoulder, using his other hand to stroke his own chin. “True indeed. What in the world could make our sweet Will commit betrayal of the highest form? Could it be-” Mike tightens his hand into a claw dramatically. “LOVE?”

“Shut up.” Will blushes, shrugging off Mike’s grip.

“You’re blushing!” Lucas pokes his chin.

“He also played Janet Jackson for him which signifies love of the highest form,” Dustin pipes up.

“Hey! Janet Jackson is...okay.”

“No, but really…” Mike beams. “Who made our Will the Wise fall in love?”

Will groans into his hands. “Can we play DnD now?”

The four boys’ simultaneous laughter is broken up by a shout outside the door. “WILL! If mom’s not home you keep the door open, how many times do I have to tell you-” Jonathan throws open the bedroom door, raising an eyebrow at the four boys. “You’re not Charlie.”

“Charlie this Charlie that,” Dustin sighs, “Where’s our love man?”

Jonathan turns to Will with an inquisitive look and Will just shrugs. “Surprise visit. You don’t have to baby me like that you know.”

“Yes I do.” Jonathan smirks. “You’re the baby.”

“El’s younger than me! I mean, probably!”

“You have no way of knowing that! Besides, there’s nothing to baby her over. Her and her friends are always at the mall and her boyfriend,” he says with a nod to Mike, “lives states away. What’s she gonna do, say I love you to death?” The boys snicker at that and Jonathan pointedly ignores an embarrassed Mike, charging ahead, “Whatever, who wants pizza?”

Dustin and Lucas scramble to their feet, Dustin complaining about the lack of food on the bus and Lucas firing back that he should have had the foresight to pack snacks. Mike has gone still beside him. “Does...does Jonathan know? About Charlie, I mean.”

“Yeah...I told him a month ago.”

“A month. Right.”

“Oh Mike, no, it’s not-”

“It’s fine.” Mike stands up slowly. “Let’s go get pizza, yeah?”

*

It doesn’t come up for the rest of the evening. They get pizza and argue so much about the toppings that Jonathan gets fed up and orders two cheeses. When he leaves to get it, Will tells them about how Jonathan’s crankier now that he’s not around Nancy.

Over dinner they tell stories, mostly ones that he’s already heard yelled over walkie talkie and the phone a million times. They play a campaign, a long one, that Will was saving for their New Years return to Hawkins but works now.

At the end of the night, Dustin, Lucas, and Mike slip into their sleeping bags and Will tucks himself into bed. He turns the lights off and there’s silence. Their sleepovers have never, in all the years they’ve known each other, been silent. Even after a whole day of talking, it never really stops.

Will sits in it for a moment but it’s not long before he gets antsy enough to flick the lamp back on. “Okay.” He takes in a deep breath and says it on an exhale as the other boys groan about their eyes adjusting to the light. “Ask me whatever you want to ask me.”

The three other boys start up a weak performance of “I don’t know what you mean!”s and “What about?!”s that Will rolls his eyes at. “Oh my god, just ask me about gay shit, whatever.”

Dustin lets out an unimpressive _whaaaat!_ as Lucas asks, “So that’s what you are? You’re gay, right?”

“No, he just made out with a boy as a joke. Dumbass.” Mike rolls his eyes.

“Hey, he said to ask questions!” Lucas holds up his hands defensively.

“Yeah but-”

“It’s fine,” Will cuts in, “and yeah. I’m...gay.” He tries to say it like it’s not the scariest thing he’s ever said, like it’s not the first time he’s said those words to anyone besides Charlie. The one time he tried to, he choked hard and Jonathan was quick to interrupt with an, “ _I know. So who’s the lucky guy_?”

“Cool.” Lucas nods. “I know lots of gay people.”

Mike laughs, “You so don’t!”

“I so do! I have a third cousin who my mom says-”

“That does not count!”

“It does too!”

“I mean we all know a gay person,” Dustin interrupts.

“Yes. Me. Ha ha.”

Dustin laughs, “Okay, two gay people.” Everyone stares at him blankly. “Robin? Hello?!”

A three-way shout of “ROBIN?!” is let out into the room. Dustin’s eyes go wide. “Is that a secret? She and Steve talk about girls like all the time, it’s kind of annoying. I figured you guys knew.”

“We don’t all hang out with Steve Harrington everyday.” Lucas flicks Dustin’s forehead and Dustin knocks his hand down.

“It’s not everyday! Just...often.”

“Oh yeah just every other day,” Lucas lets out a laugh and the two start bickering but Will doesn’t pay them any mind. He’s aware that Mike is watching him but he can’t be bothered to stop himself from smiling.

“So Robin huh?” He asks after a moment, voice meek, “That’s cool.”

“Yeah!” Dustin stops bickering to grin at him, “She’s so cool! You two should hang out next time you’re in Hawkins!” He freezes. “I mean not because you’re both...you know...gay but because she’s really cool and you left right when we started hanging out with her-”

“Dustin, relax.” Will tucks his knees to his chest. “You’re fine. Thanks for telling me. Even if you definitely shouldn’t have…” Dustin hangs his head, embarrassed. “It’s nice to know. Anything else?”

“What?” Dustin raises his head.

“Questions?”

“Oh...what’s kissing a boy like?”

“Oh my god,” Lucas groans, “What kind of question is that?”

“It’s a better question than your question!”

“Well that’s debatable,” Lucas says but turns to Will thoughtfully, “What is it like though?”

“Well I don’t know.” Will shrugs. He wants to say _it’s like the best thing ever_ or _it’s like I finally understand why you guys were so obsessed with kissing all that time_ or _it’s like emerging from the Upside Down. It’s literally like being turned right side up._ Instead, he bites his tongue, takes a more calculated route, and asks, “What’s kissing a girl like?”

“Awesome,” Dustin says.

“Mind blowing,” Lucas says.

Will turns to Mike who’s been relatively quiet (for him) since he turned the light back on. Still, Mike cocks his head, like he’s considering the question thoughtfully. “Like throwing a firecracker at the Mind Flayer,” he says.

“Then it kind of sounds like it’s the same.” Will turns his body to the side, facing Mike now. “Is that all?” he asks, like he’s not afraid of what the answer will be.

Mike looks up at him. “So like...who is this guy?”

“His name’s Charlie Burns. I go to school with him. You guys would really like him.” Will picks at the thread of the blanket abandoned at his feet. “We met at AV club. And he’s a dungeon master! I’ve helped him with some of his campaigns.”

Dustin lets out a “Whoa!” simultaneous with Lucas’s “Dude!” but Mike remains unimpressed.

“No, I mean like who is he to you? Is he your new best friend or something?” There’s something close to a growl behind his voice.

“What? No, you’re my best friend, Mike.”

“Hey!” Dustin shouts out.

“Sorry,” Will says with a shy smile, “You guys are my best friends. There’s a reason he knows all your names, I talk about you all the time! And show him pictures! He knows everything about you.”

“Everything?” Mike’s eyes go wide. “Even…?” He gestures to the back of his own neck.

“Well, no.” Will rubs his neck instinctually. “I’ve told him stories but I pretend they’re just campaigns. It’s funny, those are always the ones he likes best.” It’s silent again and Will still feels nervous but also happier, lighter.

He’s thinking maybe he could actually get some sleep when Mike says, “Who else knows?”

“Just Jonathan and El.”

“Not your mom?”

“No. Well, yes. I don’t know. I didn’t tell her but she keeps saying things like ‘you know I’d love you no matter what, right?’ I might just tell her soon so she’ll cut it out already.”

He doesn’t tell them that he only hasn’t told her because he knows she’ll worry. Worry about him having to live his whole relationship out within his bedroom, worry about the kids at school finding out.

Jonathan’s told him it’s not his job to worry about her worrying but it’s hard not to when she gives him that look every day when he comes home from school. That look that she’s so grateful and even bewildered that he lived another day, that look that’s so strong that even Charlie asked him about it once. _“She just cares about me a lot, that’s all,”_ Will had said and Charlie had replied, _“I see why.”_

“Right, okay.” Mike nods, far too rapidly. “So if he’s not your best friend he’s your…”

“He’s my boyfriend, Mike. Are you okay with that? It’s...fine if you’re not.” He winces a bit over the words. “But I’d rather just know then...pretend.” That’s a lie and Will knows it. He’d so much rather pretend. Pretending is the easier route but he knows he can’t take it anymore, not after today. Maybe he could lie away a kiss with a boy who didn’t matter much but this was Charlie. Will had always taken advantage of the distance between these two parts of his life, knowing that if his friends ever saw him with Charlie, the look on his face would give him away in a second.

Mike’s eyes go wide. “I am! Honest, I am! It’s just...why tell El and Jonathan but not us?”

“They’re my siblings,” Will says, “But honestly, it’s just...not news you can tell over the phone or...walkie talkie.”

“Yes it is!” Mike jumps to his feet, stumbling over Lucas’s sleeping bag, earning a sharp protest from him. He reaches into his backpack and pulls out his walkie talkie, pressing it close to his mouth. “Will, are you there? Will, do you copy?”

Will sighs, reaching over to pick up his walkie talkie from where Charlie last placed it precariously on the bedside table. “Yes, I copy.”

“Hey man, it’s Mike. What’s new?”

Will rolls his eyes, putting the walkie talkie to his side. “Mike, this is dumb! You’re like five feet away!”

“Will, are you still there?” Mike says into the walkie talkie.

Will sighs again and lifts up the walkie talkie. “Yeah, I’m here.”

“Cool. Where were we?”

“Asking him what’s new!” Dustin calls out.

“Right.” He hovers a finger over the button, maintaining eye contact with Will. “Dustin wants to know what’s new.”

“Hey, me too!”

“Lucas too.” He gets that softer gaze again, the one from earlier, the one he usually reserves for El. “All of us do.”

“Alright. I’m dating someone.”

There’s a chorus of ooohs that Will laughs off.

“Sooo what’s his name?”

“Hey!” Will moves his walkie to the side. “How do you already know I’m gay in this reality?!”

“Dude, we’ve always kind of known,” Dustin says, which should surprise him or maybe even upset him but honestly just makes him feel even lighter.

“Honestly, the only shocking part was you getting some action,” Lucas grins, earning a hard pillow throw from Will.

“Hey! I can’t hear him guys.” Mike pretends to press the side of the walkie again. “What’s his name?”

“Charlie.”

“Cool.” Mike sets down his walkie, moving across the room to sit in bed beside Will. Will and Mike usually share beds at sleepovers but this time, Will didn’t offer, didn’t think Mike would accept. Now, Mike pulls the covers up to his chest. “See? Simple.”

“Easy for you to say. I’m sorry you had to find out like this though.”

“Don’t be!” Dustin shouts out, “Mike’s just being an asshole. According to Robin, it’s a very hard thing to share! Wow I really shouldn’t have told you guys huh?”

“Hanging out with a lesbian once doesn’t make you an expert Dustin.” Mike rolls his eyes, giving Will a nudge as he does.

“Hey, I hang out with her all the time!”

“Oh so now you admit it!” Lucas grins.

“He’s right though,” Mike pipes up before more bickering can ensue, “You didn’t have to tell us. I just wish you knew that you can tell us anything, yeah? Even if it’s through a walkie.”

“I do,” Will says seriously, “And if I didn’t, I do now.”

“Good. Now tell us all about this Dungeons & Dragons loving hunk. He sounds fake, honestly.”

“Oh my god. You literally met him!”

“Yeah but maybe you lied about the dungeon master part,” Mike grins, “You know, to impress us.”

“Ah yes, I lied about my boyfriend being a nerd in order to be impressive.”

“Hey!” Dustin shouts from the floor, “We’re nerds! It _was_ impressive!”

“Hey guys.” Jonathan knocks on the door as he opens it, as he does most of the time. “It’s about time you got to bed, don’t you think?”

“Nah, I don’t think so.” Mike smirks.

“Haha, very funny. Bed.”

“But we were just getting to the good part!” Dustin whines.

“Of what exactly?”

“Will was telling us about his boooyfrieeeend,” Lucas sing songs.

“Is that so?” Jonathan turns to his little brother with a smile so full of pride Will has to look away from it. “Go to bed. And tomorrow you can tell them about the time you tripped and fell kissing him and got a concussion.”

“You WHAT?!” Mike shrieks.

“Dude!!!”

“I hate you,” Will says with a glare, “I’m locking the door next time Charlie is over.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Jonathan mock gasps.

“I’m locking the windows too!” He calls out as his brother retreats laughing, threats of bedtime forgotten.

Will looks away from the door to see all of his best friends giving him identical devilish grins. “NOPE!” He flicks off the light. “Not happening!”

He ignores the protests, finally lying down and shutting his eyes. Now that the weight’s been lifted, a weight he’s been carrying much longer than he cares to admit, he realizes how tired he is. Eventually, Lucas and Dustin realize the same, exhausted by a long day of traveling and interrogation.

“Will,” Mike whispers, just as he’s feeling sleep come over him, “Will, are you awake?”

“Sure,” Will mumbles.

“I just...you meant what you said, right? About me being your best friend?”

Will opens his eyes and smiles. “Of course, I mean, if you’ll have me.”

“Of course,” Mike echoes, smiling back at him. Not long after, Mike falls asleep, still facing Will. Will, despite his exhaustion, stays up for a bit. He’s too happy to sleep so he passes the time staring at the orange surprise poster now messily taped to his ceiling. When sleep finally does find him, it comes like this, with the sign above him and the sun about to rise, Lucas and Dustin at his feet, and Mike right by his side.

**Author's Note:**

> Ty for reading! I may or may not write a sequel of breakfast the next day featuring Charlie interacting more with the boys?! Lmk if you'd be interested in that! Woo hoo! :))


End file.
